Vishü Rita Krocha
Fabrics carry collective memory of a people. Especially for Nagas, traditional wears are not just clothing but carry with them deep social, cultural and spiritual significance.
The motifs, patterns and designs embedded in each traditional wear tell the history of a people. They are reminders of a wearer who was once a warrior, or of a couple who once performed the highest social honour, which is earned by hosting the prestigious ‘Feast of Merit’.
The various, often colourful and vibrant traditional attires of the Nagas are symbolic of the tribe and the culture that they represent. At the same time, there is a possibility that two different ethnic groups could also share the same or similar traditional attire and call it their own.
In this context, there has also been a recent case of online debate as to who owns the shawl known as “Shaphee Lanphee” of Manipur and Thüpikhü, also known as Hapidasa or Thsüketsura of the Chakhesang tribe in Nagaland.
For the Chakhesang tribe, this prestigious shawl symbolizes social status, prosperity, and generosity and is traditionally earned, exclusively by hosting the ‘Feast of Merit’.
On the other hand, Shaphee Lanphee was historically known to be presented as a gift of honour to brave soldiers and chiefs.
The fact that both communities claim the origin of this particular shawl says a lot about a shared history, and culture that has perhaps, naturally led to shared textiles.
Interestingly, both communities have different narratives of the origin of the shawl in question. But that’s also the thing about oral traditions. It thrives on multiple truths. The understanding of our history and culture relies on human memory because we come from the oral tradition of literature.
And if there is a piece of traditional attire that is so dearly held on to by anybody or any community, then it could mean only one thing: a shared culture between two different ethnic groups.
Maybe it is the shared ancestry and common roots that have shaped the development of designs, patterns, colours, etc. After all, even if different communities have different narratives of a specific item, the similarities point to an unmistakable collective identity.
Needless to say, traditional attires evoke powerful sentiments of a people who take great pride in their cultural identity because it also gives them a sense of belonging. As communities who take pride in their traditional wears, even with the multiple versions of their origin, we must embrace a shared culture and carry forward the legacy of our ancestors with pride, grace and heritage.
This is a guest editorial by Vishü Rita Krocha. She is the Publisher of PenThrill Publication and a senior journalist based in Kohima.
